Shapewear for use with backless support bra and other garments

ABSTRACT

A shapewear garment comprising a lower portion configured to provide compression to selected regions of a wearer&#39;s lower torso, and an upper portion extending from the lower portion and configured to provide compression to at least a portion of an abdominal area of the wearer&#39;s torso, wherein the upper portion includes a first panel extending from a right region of the lower portion and a second panel extending from a left region of the lower portion, and wherein the first panel and the second panel extend transverse to one another so as to partially overlap with one another when the shapewear garment is worn.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/162,303, filed Mar. 17, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to undergarments and foundation garments, and more particularly, to bras that provide support and allow for an unobstructed view of a wearer's back and that include sculpting or shapewear features. The present invention also relates to shapewear that can be used together with the backless support bra or with other garments, and which provides an unobstructed view of a wearer's back while also providing shaping and sculpting to certain areas of a wearer's figure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Shapewear, shaping undergarments or support garments are foundation garments that are designed to reshape a wearer's body and/or to create a smooth silhouette under clothes. Conventional shapewear uses nylon and spandex to form compression undergarments that can alter the wearer's shape so as to accentuate or lift portions of the wearer's body and/or to minimize areas of the wearer's body. Conventional shapewear is intended to be completely hidden under clothing and include bodysuits, girdles, body briefers, control underwear and bras, and in some cases, shapewear may include or incorporate a built-in bra.

In order to provide sufficient shaping, conventional shapewear provides substantial coverage for the wearer's body, and is unsuitable for wearing with revealing clothing, such as backless dresses or tops. For example, upper body shaping garments typically extend around a wearer's torso and thus, would be easily visible if worn with a low-cut dress or blouse or with a backless dress or top.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a shaping or foundation garment which incorporates a backless bra or which can be connected to a backless bra, and which allows for an unobstructed view of a wearer's back while also providing sculpting and shaping to certain portions of the wearer's upper and/or lower body.

In accordance with the present invention, a shapewear garment is provided and includes a lower portion configured to provide compression to selected regions of a wearer's lower torso; and an upper portion extending from the lower portion and configured to provide compression to at least a portion of an abdominal area of the wearer's torso. The upper portion includes a first panel extending from a right region of the lower portion and a second panel extending from a left region of the lower portion, and the first panel and the second panel extend transverse to one another so as to partially overlap with one another when the shapewear garment is worn.

In certain embodiments, the first panel and the second panel are at least partially separated from one another, and are configured to attach to a bra. In some embodiments, the bra includes a right cup and a left cup, and the first panel of the upper portion is configured to extend from the right region of the lower portion and to attach to the left cup and the second panel of the upper portion is configured to extend from the left region of the lower portion and to attach to the right cup. Each of the first panel and the second panel includes at least one fastener configured to attach to a corresponding fastening portion on the bra. In some embodiments, each of the first and second panels has a plurality of rows of one or more fasteners, and each row is positioned at a different distance from a free upper end of the respective first and second panel so as to provide customizable fit and shaping.

In some embodiments, the first panel extends from a front right region of the lower portion and the second panel extends from a front left region of the lower portion. In other embodiments, the first panel extends from a rear right region of the lower portion and is configured to provide shaping and compression to a right side of a wearer's torso when the shapewear garment is worn, and the second panel extends from a rear left region of the lower portion and is configured to provide shaping and compression to a left side of the wearer's torso.

In some embodiments, the lower portion forms one of a panty portion and a slip portion extending around a wearer's hips when the shapewear garment is worn. The style and shape of the panty portion may be selected based on the amount and type of shaping to be provided to the wearer's hips, buttocks and/or thighs. The lower portion and the upper portion are configured so that when the shapewear garment is worn, the shapewear garment does not obstruct a wearer's back while providing shaping and compression to at least a wearer's hips and abdominal area.

The present invention also provides a shapewear assembly comprising the above-described shapewear garment, and a bra including front main panel forming a right cup and a left cup and having one or more first fastening portions provided on each of the right cup and the left cup. The first and second panels include one or more second fastening portions that are configured to engage with the first fastening portions on the right and left cups, and the first panel of the shapewear is configured to attach to the first fastening portions provided on the left cup using the second fastening portions on the first panel, and the second panel of the shapewear is configured to attach to the second fastening portions provided on the right cup using the second fastening portions on the second panel. In some embodiments, the first fastening portions are loops and each of the right and left cups includes a plurality of loops along at least a portion of its underside and the second fastening portions are hooks configured to engage with the loops. The bra may be a backless bra that provides an unobstructed view of a wearer's back.

In accordance with the present invention, a backless support bra with shaping features is also provided. The backless support bra includes first and second cups configured to support a wearer's breasts, first and second lower straps configured to connect to the respective first and second cups, each of the first and second lower straps being configured to extend through a pelvic region of the wearer and around a respective leg of the wearer, and at least one shaping insert configured to provide shaping to a predetermined area of a wearer's body. The shaping insert one or more of: extends between the first and second lower straps, extends between different portions of the first lower strap, and extends between different portions of the second lower strap. In the backless support bra, the first and second cups, the first and second lower straps and the at least one shaping insert are configured to allow for an unobstructed view of a wearer's back when the backless support bra is worn.

In some embodiments of the backless support bra, the first and second lower straps are detachable from the respective first and second bra cups. In certain embodiments, the shaping insert includes an abdominal shaping insert extending between the first and second lower straps from the pelvic region of a wearer to a predetermined distance from first ends of the first and second lower straps that connect to the bra cups, and is configured to provide shaping to a wearer's abdominal area. In some embodiments, the abdominal shaping insert comprises one or more of (a) a single panel of elastic material, (b) a plurality of parallel straps, (c) a plurality of crisscrossing straps, (d) a plurality of parallel panels of elastic material, and (e) a plurality of crisscrossing panels of elastic material.

In some embodiments, the shaping insert includes a first side shaping insert extending between portions of the first lower strap and configured to provide shaping to a first side area of a wearer's torso and a second side shaping insert extending between portions of the second lower strap and configured to provide shaping to a second side area of a wearer's torso. In certain variations, the first side shaping insert extends between first and second ends of the first lower strap for a predetermined length and the second side shaping insert extends between first and second ends of the second lower strap for the predetermined length. In some variations, each of the first and second side shaping inserts extends between portions of the respective first and second lower straps so as to provide shaping to a wearer's hips and at least a portion of a wearer's buttocks. In some embodiments, the shaping inserts further include one or more of (a) an abdominal shaping insert extending between the first and second lower straps from the pelvic region of a wearer to a predetermined distance from first ends of the first and second lower straps, and (b) a rear shaping insert extending between the first and second lower straps in a region adjacent to the wearer's buttocks when the backless support bra is worn by the wearer.

The present invention further provides for backless support assembly that includes a backless support bra and a shaping garment. The backless support bra includes first and second cups configured to support a wearer's breasts, at least one upper strap for upwardly supporting the first and second cups, and a plurality of lower straps extending from the first and second cups for downwardly supporting the first and second cups. The shaping garment is configured to provide contouring to predetermined portions of a wearer's body, and the plurality of lower straps of the bra are configured to detachably couple with the shaping garment. The shaping garment is configured to allow for an unobstructed view of a wearer's back. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the shaping garment is formed from one or more of invisible material and transparent material in order to minimize visibility of the shaping garment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and aspects of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1-3 show a first embodiment of an exemplary backless support bra with an abdominal shaping insert;

FIGS. 4-5 show a second embodiment of the backless support bra with side shaping features;

FIGS. 6-7 show a third embodiment of the backless support bra with shaping features for lower torso contouring;

FIGS. 8-10 show a fourth embodiment of the backless support bra with shaping features for torso and buttock contouring;

FIGS. 11-13B show a backless support bra and shapewear assembly;

FIGS. 14-15 show a second exemplary backless support bra with an abdominal shaping insert;

FIGS. 16-18 show the second backless support bra with abdominal, side and rear shaping inserts;

FIGS. 19-21 show the second backless support bra with side shaping inserts;

FIG. 22 shows a modified backless support bra 900 and shapewear assembly;

FIGS. 23A-23B show a backless bra that can be used with shapewear;

FIGS. 24A-24B show a shapewear assembly used with the backless bra of FIGS. 23A-23B;

FIGS. 24C-24D show a shapewear assembly of FIGS. 24A-24B unattached to the backless bra; and

FIG. 25 shows examples of hooks that may be used for connecting the shapewear of FIGS. 24A-24D to a bra or a garment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to undergarments and foundation garments, and more particularly, to bras that provide support and allow for an unobstructed view of a wearer's back and that include sculpting or shapewear features. The present invention also relates to shapewear that can be used together with the backless support bra or with any other bra or item of clothing, and which allows a wearer to wear revealing garments, such as backless dresses, while also providing shaping and sculpting to certain areas of a wearer's figure.

The present application incorporates herein by reference the entire disclosures of U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D762,944, D793,653, D793,654, D793,655 and D793,656 and the entire disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,750,288 and 11,019,853, which are assigned to the same assignee herein. These patents disclose multiple variations of an exemplary backless support bra. Even though the following descriptions and drawings describe and illustrate shapewear features or shapewear being used with certain ones of the variations of the backless support bra, it is understood that the shapewear features or shapewear may be adapted or modified for use with all of the other variations of the backless support bra shown and described in these patents.

In addition, the present application incorporates by reference herein U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/161,437 and the corresponding non-provisional patent application No.______, assigned to the same assignee herein and which disclose a backless bra with transformable configurations. The shapewear described below may be used and worn together with the backless bra of these applications or may be adapted for use with any other bras or garments.

In certain embodiments of the invention, the backless support bra, such as the bras shown in the above-identified patents, is modified to include shaping or sculpting inserts in certain locations provided between the straps of the bra, including in the abdominal area, in the side areas of the torso, around the hips and buttocks areas and/or in the lower back area. In some embodiments, shapewear such as control briefs or a shaping girdle may be used with the backless support bra shown in the above-identified patents or with the backless bra shown and described in the above-identified provisional and non-provisional applications, wherein the bra attaches to the shapewear to help keep the shapewear and the bra in place and to prevent shifting. In yet other embodiments, shapewear, such as shapewear for sculpting a wearer's waist, hips and/or buttocks, may be used with or without the bra and is configured to provide an illusion of an open back and/or is configured so as to allow for an unobstructed view of a wearer's back and/or center chest area. In all of these embodiments, the foundation garment, i.e., bra and/or shapewear, is not visible or is nearly invisible or is acceptably visible when worn under low-cut, revealing, backless, asymmetrical and/or slip clothing. That is, in certain embodiments, the foundation garment is invisible, in other certain embodiments, the foundation garment is nearly invisible and in yet further certain embodiments, the foundation garment is acceptably visible. In some embodiments in which the foundation garment is acceptably visible, the foundation garment may include embellishments, such as embroidery, piping, lace, crystals, beads, appliques or any other embellishments or decorations that may be visible and may enhance the clothing worn by the wearer.

FIGS. 1- 3 show an exemplary backless support bra 100 (sometimes referred to herein as bra 100) of a first embodiment of the present invention, with the bra including an abdominal shaping insert 150 for contouring and sculpting a wearer's abdominal area. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the bra includes a front main panel 110 with left and right cups 112 a, 112 b and a set of straps. The set of straps includes a pair of upper shoulder straps 120 a, 120 b (“upper straps”), each of which is attached to a respective one of the cups and is structured to go over a shoulder of the wearer when worn. In another variation, the upper straps 120 a, 120 b may be replaced by a single upper strap with each end of the strap connected to a respective one of the cups and being structured to go around a wearer's neck, e.g., halter version of the bra, or a single upper strap with each end of the strap being configured to connect to the same one of the cups or configured to connect to a respective one of the cups in different locations and to extend across a wearer's chest and around the wearer's neck to create an asymmetrical appearance. The upper straps 120 a, 120 b may be detachable at one or both ends or may be permanently attached to the respective bra cups. In addition, the upper straps 120 a, 120 b may be formed from opaque material of any color, or may be formed from a transparent or translucent material, such as transparent polymer/plastic material.

The set of straps also includes a pair of lower straps 140 a, 140 b, each of which forms a “leg loop” and extends through the front of the wearer's body, through the pelvic area of the wearer, then extends up the buttocks area of the wearer, and finally connecting to the bra's front main panel 110. The lower straps may be permanently affixed to the front main panel 110 of the bra or may be detachable at one end from the front main panel 110 or may be fully detachable at both ends from the front main panel 110. Additional details regarding the upper straps 120 a, 120 b, and lower straps 140 a, 140 b are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 11,019,853, incorporated herein by reference. In addition, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/161,437 and the corresponding non-provisional patent application No. , incorporated herein by reference, disclose configurations of a backless bra that includes a front main panel with tabs that can be used for detachably connecting to straps with hooks or other types of fasteners that engage with the tabs in various configurations to provide different looks. The backless bra of these applications may be configured so as to connect with the straps, including a shaping insert, similar to the one shown in FIGS. 1-3 and the different tabs on the front main panel of the bra may be used for customizing the connections of the straps to the bra so as to provide different looks and also to customize the amount of shaping by moving the connections between the tabs of the bra and the corresponding fasteners, e.g., hooks, of the straps. For example, attaching the lower straps to the front main panel of the bra using tabs positioned closer to one another along the front main panel would provide less shaping, while attaching the lower straps to the bra using tabs positioned further away from one another along the front main panel may be used to provide more shaping.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the bra 100 also includes an abdominal shaping insert 150 provided between the lower straps 140 a, 140 b for shaping and sculpting a wearer's abdominal area. The abdominal shaping insert 150 comprises a length of elastic and/or stretchable materials that connects the lower straps 140 a, 140 b and extends from a front area below the front main panel 110 to a pelvic area of the wearer, e.g., to about half way between the two ends of the lower straps. The length of the abdominal shaping insert 150 may vary depending on the desired areas of the abdomen to be contoured and sculpted. In the illustrative embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3 (high-rise abdominal shaping insert), an upper end 152 of the shaping insert 150 is located at or near an upper abdominal area of the wearer when worn, and preferably just below the wearer's rib cage. In another embodiment (mid-rise abdominal shaping insert), the upper end of the shaping insert 150 may be located at a lower position at or around the natural waist of the wearer. In some embodiments (not shown), the position of the upper end of the shaping insert 150 may be adjustable by allowing the wearer to adjust the length of the lower straps 140 a, 140 b in an area between the front main panel 110 and the upper end 152 of the shaping insert 150. In yet other embodiments, the upper end 152 of the abdominal shaping insert may extend to a lower edge of the front main panel 110 and in certain embodiments, the upper end 152 of the abdominal shaping insert may connect to the lower edge of the front main panel 110 via a permanent or a detachable connection.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, a lower end 154 of the abdominal shaping insert 150 is located at or near a pelvic area of the wearer when worn, and preferably in an area where the two lower straps 140 a, 140 b meet when the bra 100 is worn. In certain embodiments, the lower end 154 of the shaping insert 150 may extend into one or more panty panels, which may be thong-style panty panels or brief-style panty panels, similar to the panty panels shown in FIGS. 10-21 of U.S. Pat. No. 11,019,853, which is incorporated herein by reference. In yet other embodiments, the lower end 154 of the shaping insert 150 may be located at a higher position, such as at or near a lower abdomen of the wearer.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the abdominal shaping insert 150 tapers from the upper end 152 toward the lower end 154, generally following the shape of the front opening between the lower straps 140 a, 140 b when the bra is worn by a wearer. The shaping insert 150 is made from one or more pieces or panels of elastic and/or stretchable material, such as nylon, spandex, Lycra, cotton, polyester, viscose, bamboo, microfiber, silk and other fabric fibers, or fabrics with mixtures of these fibers, power mesh materials, lace, organza materials, TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethane) material, vinyl, fiberglass cloth, and other polymer materials.

The shaping insert 150 may be formed as a single panel of material between the lower straps 140 a, 140 b, or in some embodiments, may be formed from a plurality of pieces of material, which may or may not interconnect or interweave with one another. For example, in some illustrative embodiments, the shaping insert 150 is formed from a plurality of straps provided substantially parallel to one another, with respective ends of each strap being connected to a respective lower strap 140 a 140 b. In these embodiments, the straps of the shaping insert 150 may extend substantially horizontally between the two lower straps 140 a, 140 b, or may extend at an angle relative to the horizontal line between the two lower straps 140 a, 140 b. In other embodiments, the shaping insert 150 is formed from a plurality of crisscrossing straps, which may interweave with one another, with respective ends of each strap being connected to a respective lower strap 140 a, 140 b. In some embodiments, one end of some or all straps may connect to the lower end of the front main panel 110 of the bra. For example, the shaping insert 150 may be formed from one or more pairs of crisscrossing straps or lengths of material, wherein in one pair of crisscrossing straps or length of the material, one end of each strap or length of material is connected to a respective lower strap 140 a, 140 b, while the other end is connected, either permanently or detachably to the front main panel 110, such as by using hooks or other suitable fasteners on the straps or on the lengths material to connect to tabs provided along a lower end of the front main panel 110.

In the embodiments with a plurality of straps forming the shaping insert 150, the straps are formed from any of the above-described materials and in particular, may be formed from plastic, polymer or vinyl materials, such as TPU, and may be transparent or translucent. In such embodiments, breathability of the foundation garment is maintained due to the spaces formed between the straps, allowing air to pass through to the wearer's skin. In some embodiments with the plurality of straps forming the shaping insert 150, the straps may have adjustable length in order to adjust the shaping/sculpting of the shaping insert 150 in all or in selected areas thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, in some embodiments, one or more additional side panels or straps 155 a, 155 b extend from the front sides of each of the respective lower straps 140 a, 140 b. In one variation, the side straps 155 a, 155 b extend around the wearer's waist and/or hips and connect to one another at the back of the wearer. In another variation shown in FIG. 3 above, the side straps 155 a, 155 b connect to the respective one of the lower straps 140 a, 140 b at a location closer to the other end of the respective lower strap 140 a, 140 b. The length of the side straps 155 a, 155 b may be adjustable in order to allow for adjusting of the shaping/sculpting of the shaping insert 150. Although FIGS. 1-3 show a single side strap 155 a, 155 b extending from each of the lower straps 140 a, 140 b in an area of a wearer's natural waist, in other variations, multiple side straps 155 a, 155 b may extend from each of the lower straps 140 a, 140 b, and/or the straps may be provided in other areas, such as around the hips of the wearer or around a lower waist area of the wearer. In addition, the width of the side straps 155 a, 155 b is not limited to that shown in FIGS. 1-3, and in some embodiments, the side straps 155 a, 155 b may be wider or may be formed from a length of material so as to cover a substantial length on each side between the lower straps 140 a, 140 b. The side straps 155 a, 155 b may be formed from any of the above materials used for the shaping insert 150 and may be formed from the same materials as the shaping insert 150 or from different materials.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate another embodiment of the backless support bra 200 with shaping features for providing contouring and sculpting to sides of a wearer's torso. The backless support bra 200 in this embodiment includes the front main panel 210 having left and right cups 212 a, 212 b, upper straps 220 a, 220 b and lower straps 240 a, 240 b connected to or configured to connect to the front main panel 210. The configurations of the front main panel 210 and of the upper and lower straps 220 a, 220 b, 240 a, 240 b are similar to those of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, the bra 200 includes side shaping inserts 250 a, 250 b configured to provide contouring or sculpting to the sides of a wearer's torso. As shown in FIGS. 4-5, a first end 242 a, 242 b of each lower strap 240 a, 240 b extends from a lower edge of the respective left and right cup 212 a, 212 b and a second end 244 a, 244 b of each lower strap 240 a, 240 b connects to the lower edge of the respective left and right cup 212 a, 212 b at a position offset toward the side or back of the respective cup 212 a, 212 b. The ends 242 a, 242 b, 244 a, 244 b of the lower straps 240 a, 240 b may be permanently attached to the respective cup 212 a, 212 b, or may be detachably attached to the respective cup 212 a, 212 b, such as by using hooks or other suitable fasteners on the lower straps that connect to tabs provided along the lower edge of the left and right cups 212 a, 212 b, and the attachment locations of the ends of the lower straps 240 a, 240 b may be adjustable, which also provides adjustability to the amount of shaping provided by the shaping inserts 250 a, 250 b.

As shown in FIG. 4, the shaping insert 250 a includes one or more panels of elastic and/or stretchable shaping material extending between the first and second ends 242 a, 244 a of the lower strap 240 a and between two portions of the lower strap 240 a for a predetermined length from the first and second ends 242 a, 244 a. The configuration of the shaping insert 250 b is substantially the same or similar to that of the shaping insert 250 a. The shaping inserts 250 a, 250 b in the illustrative embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 extend to just below a natural waist area of a wearer and above the wearer's hip. However, in other variations, the shaping inserts 250 a, 250 b may extend to also cover the hips of the wearer. As shown, the width of the shaping inserts 250 a, 250 b increases in a downward direction, i.e., away from the first and second ends 242 a, 244 a, and the width is selected so as to provide sufficient sculpting or contouring to the wearer's sides.

As in the first embodiment, each shaping insert 250 a, 250 b is formed from an elastic and/or stretchable material, such as nylon, spandex, Lycra, cotton, polyester, viscose, bamboo, microfiber, silk and other fabric fibers, or fabrics with mixtures of these fibers, power mesh materials, lace, organza materials, TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethane) material, vinyl, fiberglass cloth, and other polymer materials. Although each of the shaping inserts 250 a, 250 b is shown as a single panel in FIGS. 4-5, in some variations, the shaping inserts 250 a, 250 b are formed from a plurality of panels or straps. For example, each of the shaping inserts 250 a, 250 b may be formed from a plurality of substantially parallel panels or straps or a plurality of crisscrossing panels or straps in order to provide additional breathability, particularly if plastic or polymer materials are used for the straps. In one illustrative embodiment with crisscrossing panels or straps, each of the panels or straps has one end connected to the first end 242 a, 242 b of the respective lower strap 240 a, 240 b and another end connected to the second end 244 a, 244 b of the respective lower strap 240 a, 240 b. In another illustrative embodiment with crisscrossing panels or straps, one or more of the panels or straps has one end connected to the first or second end 242 a, 244 a, 242 b, 244 b of the respective lower strap 240 a, 240 b and another end connected to the lower end of the front main panel 210, such as by using hooks or other suitable fasteners on the another end to engage with one or more tabs provided on the front main panel 210. The connections between the crisscrossing panels or straps and the respective lower straps or the front main panel may be permanent or detachable.

In some variations (not shown), one or more front panels or straps may be provided between the two lower straps 240 a, 240 b and between the two shaping inserts 250 a, 250 b so as to extend across the wearer's abdominal area when worn. These front panels or straps may be made from the same or different material as the shaping inserts 250 a, 250 b and are provided in order to keep the positioning of the lower straps 240 a, 240 b in place when worn and to improve the contouring/sculpting provided by the shaping inserts 250 a, 250 b.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a third embodiment of the backless support bra 300 with shaping features configured to provide sculpting and contouring to a wearer's lower torso, including the abdominal area, hips and buttocks. The bra 300 includes a main front panel 310 with left and right cups 312 a, 312 b, upper straps 320 a, 320 b (or a single upper strap in a halter version of the bra) and lower straps 340 a, 340 b. The configurations of these elements are similar to those described above with respect to the first and second embodiments, and thus, detailed description thereof is omitted. In addition, the third embodiment may be modified to include a backless bra with a plurality of tabs along the lower end of the main front panel and a plurality of tabs adjacent to the upper end of the front main panel and a plurality of straps with hooks or other suitable fasteners for connecting to the tabs on the main front panel and including shaping features similar to those shown in FIGS. 6-7. As in the other embodiments, the connections between the tabs on the backless bra and corresponding fasteners, e.g., hooks, on the straps 340 a, 340 b may be moved or adjusted in order to customize the fit and amount of shaping provided.

As shown in FIGS. 6-7, the bra 300 includes a plurality of shaping inserts 350, 352 a, 352 b and 354 configured to provide sculpting and contouring to the wearer's lower torso area and attached to the lower straps 340 a, 340 b. As can be seen in FIG. 6, an abdominal shaping insert 350 comprises a length of elastic and/or stretchable material that extends centrally between the lower straps 340 a, 340 b and connects the lower straps 340 a, 340 b from a front area below the front main panel 310 to a pelvic area of the wearer, where the lower straps 340 a, 340 b are adjacent one another or overlap one another. The abdominal shaping insert 350 is configured to contour and sculpt the abdominal area of the wearer in order to create a slimmer and smoother silhouette. An upper end 350 a of the abdominal shaping insert 350 in FIG. 6 is located at a position just above the natural waist of the wearer. However, in some variations, the upper end may be located higher relative to the wearer's body, such as just below the rib cage area similar to the shaping insert 150 of FIG. 1, or may be connected to the lower edge of the main front panel 310, either permanently or detachably, such as by using hooks or other suitable fasteners on the shaping insert 350 to engage with tabs on the main front panel 310. In variations where the upper end of the shaping insert is connected to the lower edge of the main front panel by engaging with tabs on the main front panel, the connections between the tabs on the backless bra and corresponding fasteners, e.g., hooks, on the shaping insert may be moved or adjusted in order to customize the fit and amount of shaping provided.

A lower end of the abdominal shaping insert 350 is located at or near a pelvic area of the wearer when worn, and preferably at an area where the two lower straps 340 a, 340 b meet. In certain embodiments, the lower end 350 a of the abdominal shaping insert 350 may extend into one or more panty panels, which may be formed as a thong-style panty or a brief-style panty, similar to the panty panels shown in FIGS. 10-21 of U.S. Pat. No. 11,019,853, which is incorporated herein by reference. In some variations, the lower straps 340 a, 340 b in the pelvic area may be connected to one another, while in other variations, the lower straps 340 a, 340 b are not connected.

The abdominal shaping insert 350 tapers from the upper end 350 a toward the lower end 350b and generally follows the shape of the front opening between the lower straps 340 a, 340 b when the bra is worn by a wearer. In certain embodiments, the abdominal shaping insert 350 is formed from a single panel of elastic and/or stretchable material, while in other embodiments, the abdominal shaping insert 350 is formed from a plurality of pieces or panels of elastic and/or stretchable material. For example, the abdominal shaping insert 350 may include a plurality of substantially parallel straps extending across the abdominal area of a wearer between the two lower straps 340 a, 340 b, e.g., extending horizontally between the lower straps 340 a, 340 b, and a panty-like lower panel forming a panty portion of the insert 350. In another example, the abdominal shaping insert 350 may include a plurality of crisscrossing straps, extending at an angle to the horizontal between the two lower straps 340 a, 340 b or between one of the lower straps 340 a, 340 b and the front main panel 310, and may include a panty-like lower panel forming a panty portion of the insert 350. One or more of the panels or straps of the abdominal shaping insert 350 may be adjustable in length in order to allow for adjustment of the sculpting or contouring in select areas.

The bra 300 also includes side shaping inserts 352 a, 352 b, each of which comprises a length of elastic material and/or stretchable that extends between a front portion of a respective lower strap 340 a, 340 b and a rear portion of the lower strap 340 a, 340 b so as to extend around a hip and a portion of the buttocks of the wearer when worn. As shown in FIG. 6, one side edge of each side shaping insert 352 a, 352 b is connected to a front portion of the respective lower strap 340 a, 340 b, and as shown in FIG. 7, the opposing side edge of each side shaping insert 352 a, 352 b is connected to a rear portion of the respective lower strap 340 a, 340 a.

In the illustrative embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7, the upper edge of each side shaping insert 352 a, 352 b is aligned with or is collinear with the upper edge of the abdominal shaping insert 350. However, in other variations, the upper edge of the side shaping inserts 352 a, 352 b may be higher or lower than the upper edge of the abdominal shaping insert 350 depending on the desired shaping or sculpting. In the illustrative embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7, the lengths of the side shaping inserts 352 a, 352 b are selected so that the lower edge of each side shaping insert 352 a, 352 b is at a wearer's upper thigh when worn. As a result, each of the side shaping inserts 352 a, 352 b forms a leg opening and together with the abdominal insert 350, the side shaping inserts 352 a, 352 b have an appearance of boy-short style undergarments. However, in other variations, the side shaping inserts 352 a, 352 b are shorter in length to provide a higher cut leg opening, similar to a brief or a bikini style undergarment. In yet other variations, a lower end portion of each side shaping insert 352 a, 352 b extends into a cylindrical leg portion with a leg opening that is configured to extend around a wearer's thigh. The length of the side shaping inserts 352 a, 352 b may be varied depending on the desired sculpting or contouring to be provided and the areas in which sculpting or contouring is to be provided, as well as depending on the garment to be worn over the bra 300.

As shown in FIG. 7, the side shaping inserts 352 a, 352 b at least partially cover the buttocks of the wearer. In some embodiments, the side shaping inserts 352 a, 352 b are configured to not only provide shaping and contouring to the wearer's hips, but also to provide lifting to the wearer's buttocks. This may be achieved by providing additional layers of material in certain areas of the side shaping inserts 325 a, 352 b, and/or by providing differing degrees of elasticity and compression in different areas of the side shaping inserts 352 a, 352 b, e.g., more compression in the areas under the buttocks or in the lower buttock area and more elasticity in the central and upper areas of the buttocks.

The bra 300 of this embodiment also includes a rear shaping insert 354 comprising elastic and/or stretchable material that extends centrally between the two lower straps 340 a, 340 b in the rear area adjacent to the upper portion of the buttocks and/or lower back of a wearer when worn. The rear shaping insert 354 extends from an area where the lower straps 340 a, 340 b are adjacent to one another or overlap with one another to an area of the upper buttocks of the wearer or just above the buttocks of the wearer. In the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 7, an upper edge of the rear shaping insert 354 is concave or V-shaped so as to provide the most unobstructed exposure of a wearer's back. Due to the possibility of potential exposure of the rear shaping insert 354 when the bra 300 is worn with a garment that exposes a wearer's back completely, it is preferred that the rear shaping insert 354 is formed from materials that appear invisible or are transparent. For example, power mesh or lace materials that are substantially transparent and/or match the wearer's skin tone, or TPU or other polymer materials that are transparent or translucent may be used for the rear shaping insert 354. Lace materials that match the wearer's skin tone may be used, and in such cases, even if the lace material is accidentally exposed, it would not appear as a foundation garment and would be acceptably visible.

Like the abdominal shaping insert 350, the side shaping inserts 352 a, 352 b and the rear shaping insert 354 are each made from one or more pieces or panels of elastic and/or stretchable material, such as nylon, spandex, Lycra, cotton, polyester, viscose, bamboo, microfiber, silk and other fabric fibers, or fabrics with mixtures of these fibers, power mesh materials, lace, organza materials, TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethane) material, vinyl, fiberglass cloth, and other polymer materials. Each of these inserts 352 a, 352 b, 354 may be formed as a single panel of material, or in some embodiments, may be formed from a plurality of pieces or panels of material, which may or may not interconnect or interweave with one another. In some illustrative embodiments, one or more of the shaping inserts 352 a, 352 b, 354 are formed from a plurality of straps provided substantially parallel to one another, or from a plurality of crisscrossing straps, which may interweave with one another. In the embodiments with a plurality of straps forming the shaping insert 150, the straps are formed from any of the above materials, and in particular, may be formed from plastic, polymer or vinyl materials, such as TPU, and may be transparent or translucent. In such embodiments, breathability of the shaping inserts 352 a, 352 b, 354 can be maintained due to the spaces formed between the straps, allowing air to pass through to the wearer's skin. As discussed above with respect to the abdominal shaping insert 350, in some variations with the plurality of straps forming the shaping insert 352 a, 352 b, 354, one or more of the straps may have an adjustable length in order to adjust the shaping/sculpting of the respective shaping insert in all or certain areas. In addition, in some embodiments, some or all of the plurality of crisscrossing straps or panels forming the side shaping inserts 352 a, 352 b may have one end of the strap or panel attached to the respective lower strap 340 a, 340 b and another end attached either permanently or detachably, e.g., by using tabs on the front main panel 310, to the front main panel 310.

In certain embodiments, one or more of the shaping inserts 350, 352 a, 352 b, 354 includes a slit opening extending from a top edge thereof and one or more fasteners for closing the slit opening. For example, a slit opening may be provided in one or both of the side shaping inserts 352 a, 352 b such that the slit opening extends from the top edge of the side shaping insert 352 a, 352 b downwardly. In some embodiments, a slit opening may be provided in the abdominal shaping insert 350 and may extend from the top edge thereof downwardly. A fastener, such as an invisible or transparent zipper, is provided for closing each slit opening. In some embodiments, the slit opening in one or more of the shaping inserts 350, 352 a, 352 b, 354 extends partially toward the opposing bottom edge of the shaping insert, while in other embodiments, the slit opening may extend all the way to the opposing bottom edge of the shaping insert. In yet other embodiments, the slit opening in one or more of the shaping inserts 350, 352 a, 352 b, 354 extends partially from the bottom edge of the shaping insert toward the top edge thereof.

The slit opening(s) is formed to make it easier for the wearer to put on the bra 300 and to allow the wearer to easily position the shaping inserts 350, 352 a, 352 b, 354 relative to the wearer's torso. After the wearer puts on the bra 300 and positions the shaping inserts 350, 352 a, 352 b, 354, the fastener is used to close the slit opening. As a result, a tighter and more form-fitting fit of the shaping inserts 350, 352 a, 352 b, 354 can be achieved, particularly in the waist and abdominal areas. In addition, the bra 300 and the shaping inserts 350, 352 a, 352 b, 354 can be easily positioned relative to the wearer's torso even when the waist of the wearer is substantially smaller than the wearer's hips and buttocks.

FIGS. 8-10 show a fourth embodiment of the backless support bra 400 with shaping features which are configured to provide sculpting and contouring to a wearer's torso and buttocks areas, including the abdominal area, the sides and the hips and the buttocks. The bra 400 includes a main front panel 410 with left and right cups 412 a, 412 b, upper straps 420 a, 420 b (or a single upper strap in a halter version or an asymmetrical version of the bra) and lower straps 440 a, 440 b. The configurations of these elements are similar to those described above with respect to the other embodiments, and thus, detailed description thereof is omitted. In addition, in the illustrative embodiment of FIGS. 8-10, the bra 400 includes thong-style panty panels 445A, 445B provided between the lower straps 440 a, 440 b, similar to FIGS. 11-14 of U.S. Pat. No. 11,019,853 incorporated herein by reference. It is understood that this embodiment may be varied so as to be used with the backless support bra without any panty panels or with bikini-style panty panels similar to FIGS. 15-21 of U.S. Pat. No. 11,019,853 by adjusting the length and/or width of the shaping features of the bra 400. In addition, the fourth embodiment may be modified to include a backless bra with a plurality of tabs along the lower end of the main front panel and a plurality of tabs adjacent to the upper end of the front main panel and a plurality of straps with hooks or other suitable fasteners for connecting to the tabs on the main front panel and including shaping features similar to those shown in FIGS. 8-10. In such modified embodiment, the connections between the tabs on the backless bra and corresponding fasteners, e.g., hooks, on the straps may be moved or adjusted in order to customize the fit and amount of shaping provided.

As shown in FIGS. 8-10, the bra 400 includes an abdominal shaping insert 450 for shaping the wearer's abdominal area, and side shaping panels 452 a, 452 b for shaping the wearer's side, hip and buttocks areas. The abdominal shaping insert 450, as can be seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, comprises a length of elastic and/or stretchable material that extends between the front portions of the lower straps 440 a, 440 b from a position below the main front panel 410 to a top edge of the front panty panel 445 a. The position of the upper edge of the abdominal shaping insert 450 may be just below the wearer's rib cage, similar to the first embodiment in FIG. 1, or may be at a lower location, such as around a natural waist of the wearer, similar to the third embodiment in FIG. 6. In some embodiments, the upper edge of the abdominal shaping insert 450 may extend to the lower edge of the main front panel 410 and may be connected to the main front panel 410 either by a permanent connection or by a detachable connection, such as by using hooks or similar fasteners on the abdominal shaping insert 450 to detachably couple with tabs on the main front panel 410. In such embodiments, the connections between the tabs on the main front panel and corresponding fasteners, e.g., hooks, on the abdominal shaping insert may be moved or adjusted in order to customize the fit and amount of shaping provided. In any case, the position of the upper edge of the abdominal shaping insert 450 may be varied depending on the desired shaping and contouring. As in the other embodiments described above, the abdominal shaping insert 450 may be formed from a single piece of material or from multiple pieces of material, e.g., a plurality of substantially parallel straps or panels or a plurality of crisscrossing straps or panels. The materials suitable for use in the abdominal shaping insert 450 are the same as those described above with respect to the other embodiments.

Each side shaping insert 452 a, 452 b comprises a length of elastic and/or stretchable material that extends between a front portion of a respective lower strap 440 a, 440 b and a rear portion of the lower strap 440 a, 440 b so as to cover the wearer's side, hip and a portion of the buttocks when worn. As shown in FIGS. 8-10, one side edge of each side shaping insert 452 a, 452 b is connected to a front portion of the respective lower strap 440 a, 440 b, the opposing side edge of each side shaping insert 452 a, 452 b is connected to a rear portion of the respective lower strap 440 a, 440 b and a top edge of each side shaping insert 452 a, 452 a extends along the lower edge of the main front panel 410. The top edge of each side shaping insert 452 a, 452 b may be connected to the lower edge of the main front panel, either permanently or detachably, e.g., by using hooks or similar fasteners on the shaping insert and tabs on the main front panel, or may remain unconnected thereto. In other embodiments, the top edge of each side shaping insert 452 a, 452 b may be positioned under the lower edge of the main front panel 410 so that the top edge of each side shaping insert 452 a, 452 b does not reach the main front panel 410. For example, the top edge of each side shaping insert 452 a, 452 b may be colinear with the top edge of the abdominal shaping insert 450, may be lower than the top edge of the abdominal shaping insert 450 or may be positioned higher than the top edge of the abdominal shaping insert 450 and lower than the lower edge of the main front panel 410.

A lower edge of each side shaping insert 452 a, 452 b is cut so as to cover the wearer's hip and at least a portion of the buttocks in order to provide sculpting or shaping thereto. In the illustrative example of FIGS. 8-10, each side shaping insert 452 a, 452 b is cut around a user's upper thigh similar to a brief-style panty or a hipster-style panty. However, in other variations, the side shaping inserts 452 a, 452 b may be cut higher, similar to a high-cut brief style panty, or may be lower cut, similar to a boy-short style panty. In yet other embodiments, each of the side shaping inserts 452 a, 452 b may extend into a cylindrical leg portion with a leg opening to extend around the wearer's thigh.

As shown in FIG. 10, each of the side shaping inserts 452 a, 452 b at least partially covers the buttocks of the wearer in order to provide shaping, contouring and lifting to the wearer's buttocks. As in the third embodiment, additional layers of material or differing degrees of elasticity and compression may be used in different areas of the side shaping inserts 452 a, 452 b so as to provide lifting for the wearer's buttocks.

The materials used for the side shaping inserts 452 a, 452 b may be the same or different from those used for the abdominal shaping insert 450. In addition, the same materials as those described above with respect to the other embodiments may be used for the side shaping inserts 452 a, 452 b. As in the other embodiments described above, each of the side shaping inserts 452 a, 452 b may be formed from a single panel of material or from multiple panels or straps, such as for example, a plurality of substantially parallel panels or straps or a plurality of crisscrossing panels or straps.

In certain embodiments, one or more of the shaping inserts 450, 452 a, 452 b includes a slit opening extending from an edge thereof and one or more fasteners for closing the slit opening. For example, a slit opening may be provided in one or more of the side shaping inserts 452 a, 452 b such that the slit opening extends from a bottom edge of the one or more side shaping inserts 452 a, 452 b upwardly toward the main front panel 410, or from an upper edge of one or more side shaping inserts 452 a, 452 b downwardly toward the bottom edge. In some embodiments, the slit opening may be provided in the abdominal shaping insert 450 and may extend from the top edge thereof downwardly toward the panty panel 445 a or from a lower edge thereof upwardly toward the upper edge thereof. A fastener, such as an invisible or transparent zipper, is provided for closing each slit opening. In some embodiments, the slit opening in one or more of the shaping inserts 450, 452 a, 452 b extends partially toward the opposing edge of the shaping insert, while in other embodiments, the slit opening may extend all the way to the opposing edge of the shaping insert.

As in the previous embodiment, the slit opening(s) make it easier for the wearer to put on the bra 400 and to allow the wearer to easily position the shaping inserts 450, 452 a, 452 relative to the wearer's torso. After the wearer puts on the bra 400, positions the shaping inserts 450, 452 a, 452 b and uses the fastener to close the slit opening(s), a tighter and more form-fitting fit of the shaping inserts 450, 452 a, 452 b can be achieved, especially in the waist and abdominal areas of the wearer.

Although not shown, in some embodiments, a vertical or a horizontal opening may be provided in the crotch area of the panty panel or may be formed between the lower straps 440 a, 440 b in the crotch area between the two panty panels 445 a, 445 b. A zipper or another type of fastener, e.g., snaps, may be used to open and close the opening. The opening allows the wearer to use the bathroom as needed, without having to take off the bra 400 and without requiring the wearer to detach the lower straps 440 a, 440 b from the main front panel 410.

FIGS. 11-13B show an embodiment of a combined backless support bra 500 and shapewear 550 assembly. In this embodiment, the configuration of the backless support bra 500 is modified from the previous embodiments in order to customize the backless support bra 500 for attachment to the shapewear 550, which includes shapewear bottoms. As shown in FIGS. 11-13B, the backless support bra 500 has a front main panel 510 with left and right cups 512 a, 512 b, a pair of upper straps 520 a, 520 b (or a single upper strap for a halter style bra or an asymmetrical style bra), and lower straps 540 a-d. The configurations of the front main panel 510 and of the upper straps 520 a, 520 b are the same or similar to those of the other embodiments described above.

In this embodiment, the lower straps 540 a-d include a pair of left side straps 540 a-b and a pair of right side straps 540 c-d. The left side lower straps 540 a-b connect to the lower edge of the left cup 512 a in a similar manner as the two ends of the lower strap 140 a in the first embodiment. The right side lower straps 540 c-d connect to the lower edge of the right cup 512 b in a similar manner as the two ends of the lower strap 140 b of the first embodiment. In certain embodiments, the front main panel 510 includes a plurality of tabs along its lower edge or adjacent to its lower edge, and the left and right side lower straps 540 a-d detachably connect to appropriate tabs on the front main panel 510 using hooks or similar fasteners on the lower straps 540 a-d. In such embodiments, the connections between the tabs on the front main panel and corresponding fasteners, e.g., hooks, on the straps may be moved or adjusted in order to customize the fit and amount of shaping provided.

The free ends of the lower straps 540 a-d are configured to connect to shapewear bottoms 550, as shown in FIGS. 11-13B. Although in some embodiments one or more of the lower straps 540 a-d may be permanently affixed to the shapewear bottoms 550, it is preferred that the lower straps 540 a-d be detachably connected to the shapewear bottoms 550 in order to make it easier for the wearer to put on and take off the shapewear bottoms 550 separately from the bra 500. Conventional fasteners, such as plastic or metallic hook and eye fasteners, hook and loop fasteners, snap clip fasteners, buckle, snaps, clips, pins, clasps, etc. may be used for connecting each of the lower straps 540 a-d to the shapewear bottoms. For example, the free ends of the lower straps 540 a-d may include hooks or similar fasteners to detachably connect with tabs or eyelets on the shapewear bottoms, wherein the tabs may have a similar configuration to the tabs on the front main panel 510.

As shown in FIGS. 11-13B, the illustrative shapewear bottoms 550 are formed as a shorts-type shapewear, which may be a mid-rise or a high-rise short with leg portions 551 a, 551 b and is configured to shape and contour a wearer's thighs, butt, hips and abdomen. A top edge of the shapewear bottoms 550 may be higher or lower than shown in FIGS. 11-13B. For example, in some cases, the top edge of the shapewear bottoms may be positioned lower, such as at a wearer's natural waist, at a wearer's lower waist or even lower than the wearer's lower waist. In some cases, the top edge of the shapewear bottoms may be positioned higher than shown in FIGS. 11-12, such as slightly under the lower edge of the main front panel 510 of the bra or may even extend to the main front panel 510 of the bra 500 or higher than the main front panel 510 of the bra 500. In some examples, the top edge of the shapewear bottoms 550 may connect to the main front panel, eliminating the lower straps 540 a-d, such as by using fasteners like zippers, snaps, etc. or by using hooks or similar fasteners on the shapewear bottoms to connect with tabs on the front main panel 510.

The lengths of the short leg portions 551 a. 551 b of the shapewear bottoms 550 may vary and, in some variations, the legs 551 a. 551 b may be very short, e.g., boy short-style, or may be longer than shown in FIGS. 11-13B, e.g., knee length or mid-thigh length. In another variation, the shapewear bottoms can be a high-waisted brief style bottoms, which do not provide shaping to the wearer's thighs, but provide shaping to the buttocks, sides and abdomen, or high-waisted thong style bottoms, which provide shaping to the abdomen and sides of the wearer. In yet other variations, the shapewear may have a tube shape similar to a skirt or slip so as to provide shaping to the wearer's abdomen, sides, hips and/or buttocks. The materials used for the shapewear bottoms 550 are the same as the materials used for the shaping inserts described above with respect to the other embodiments. As in the other embodiments, it is contemplated that the shapewear bottoms 550 may be formed as a single piece of material, as shown in FIGS. 11-13B, or in some embodiments, the shapewear bottoms or a portion thereof may be formed from a plurality of panels or straps which may extend substantially parallel to one another or may crisscross or interweave with one another.

As shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, the shapewear bottoms 550 are configured to provide an unobstructed view of the wearer's back and lower back. In FIG. 13A, a waistband area 552 of the shapewear bottoms 550 is recessed in the back so as to expose as much of the wearer's back as possible. This configuration would allow the wearer to wear garments with an open back without exposing the shapewear bottoms 550 or the bra 500. In FIG. 13B, the waistband of the shapewear bottoms 550 has a much deeper recess that exposes more of the wearer's back and in some cases the wearer's upper buttocks. In the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 13B, the shapewear bottoms 550 include a transparent or invisible insert 555 within the waistband recess so as to improve the shaping and contouring functionalities without exposing the foundation garment. The transparent or invisible insert 555 may be formed from invisible or barely visible fabrics such as power mesh, lace, organza, nylon, etc. with a color that matches the wearer's skin tone. Alternatively, the insert 555 may be formed from transparent materials such as transparent plastic or other polymer materials, e.g., TPU or vinyl. These materials may be the same or different from the remainder of the shapewear bottoms 550 as long as they are not visible or are nearly invisible when worn. In some embodiments, the transparent or invisible insert 555 is formed from a single panel of material, while in other embodiments, the transparent or invisible insert 555 is formed from a plurality of panels of material, such as a plurality of substantially parallel straps or panels or a plurality of crisscrossing straps or panels.

Although FIGS. 13A-13B show a recessed waistband area so that the top edge of the shapewear is higher in the front than in the back, it is also contemplated that the waistband may recessed to a lesser extent or may not be recessed at all, so that the top edge of the shapewear 550 in the front and back is similar or about the same. For example, in the high-rise embodiment shown in FIGS. 11-12, as well as in the case where the top edge of the shapewear extends to the main front panel 510, the relative height of the top edge at the front of the shapewear and in the back of the shapewear may be different when the waistband is recessed in the back as shown in FIGS. 13A-13B. However, when the waistband is not recessed in the back, the relative height of the top edge at the front of the shapewear and in the back of the shapewear may be similar or substantially the same. In yet other embodiments, the top edge of the shapewear in the front may be lower than the top edge of the shapewear in the back.

Although in FIGS. 11-13B the lower straps 540 a-b and 540 c-d may extend downward from a cup through the groin area and then back up to the cups, it is contemplated that in some embodiments, the lower straps 540 a-b, 540 c-d end at or near the waistband of the shapewear, without extending through the groin area. In yet other embodiments, some or all of the lower straps 540 a-d are omitted. For example, the lower straps 540 b and 540 d may be omitted so that the lower straps 540 a, 540 c extend between the respective bra cup and the waistband of the shapewear. In other examples described above, the shapewear may be directly attachable to the bra cups, such as by having the waistband of the shapewear attach directly to the lower end of the bra cups, thus eliminating the need for the lower straps 540 a-d. In another example, the bra cups may be attached to the shapewear by a length of material instead of, or in addition to, using the lower straps. In any case, the present invention includes a lower shapewear component configured to wrap around the torso, waist, hips and/or thigh areas of the wearer and an upper portion comprising two cups, with the cups being connected or unconnected to one another.

Although not shown in FIGS. 11-13B, in some embodiments, the shapewear bottoms 550 include one or more slit openings extending downwardly from an upper edge thereof or upwardly from a lower edge thereof, and one or more fasteners for closing the slit opening(s) in order to make the shapewear bottoms 550 more form fitting and to make them easy to put on and take off. For example, a slit opening may be provided on the side, front or back of the shapewear bottoms 550 extending from a top edge thereof downwardly or from a bottom edge thereof upwardly. The slit opening(s) may extend partially toward the opposing bottom or top edge or may extend all the way to the opposing bottom or top edge. A fastener, such as an invisible zipper or the like, is used for closing the slit opening.

In addition, a vertical or a horizontal opening may be provided in the crotch area of the shapewear bottoms, and a zipper or another type of fastener, e.g., snaps, may be used to open and close the opening. For example, a horizontal or an angled opening may be provided through one or both of the leg portions of the shapewear bottoms and a zipper, e.g., an invisible or transparent zipper, may be used for opening and closing the opening. In one illustrative example, the opening extends along an inner thigh area of one leg portion toward and through the crotch area of the shapewear bottom 550, and in some cases, the opening also extends through an inner thigh area of the other leg portion. One or more invisible zippers are used for closing the opening in this illustrative example. The opening allows the wearer to use the bathroom when needed, without having to take off the shapewear bottoms 550.

As shown in the above-described embodiments, the present invention combines a backless support bra with shapewear features or with shapewear that attaches to the backless support bra. The shapewear elements of the bra and the shapewear that attaches to the bra are invisible or nearly invisible and are configured to provide an unobstructed view of a wearer's back without being exposed or visible when worn under a revealing garment. The shapewear elements are strategically positioned relative to the other elements of the bra so as to provide shaping to desired areas of a wearer's body.

Although most of the above embodiments are shown and described relative to the backless bra that includes two upper straps, each of which loops around a wearer's shoulder, and lower straps that form leg loops that pass through the wearer's pelvic area, it is understood that the shaping elements and shapewear shown and described above may also be used with other configurations of backless support bras, including but not limited to the other bra variations shown in U.S. Pat. No. 11,019,853 or in U.S. Provisional patent application No. 63/161,437 and corresponding non-provisional patent application No.______. For example, bra configurations shown in FIGS. 22-35 of the '720 publication may be modified to include one or more of: an abdominal shaping insert between the two lower straps extending downwardly to the wearer's pelvic area, side shaping inserts extending between the lower straps around a wearer's hips, buttocks and/or upper thighs, and a rear shaping insert between the rear portions of the lower straps for shaping a wearer's lower back and/or for providing additional shaping support to other shaping elements. The bra configurations shown in FIGS. 22-35 of the '720 publication may also be modified to be used with shapewear bottoms, similar to those shown in FIGS. 11-13B herein above, by connecting four lower straps to the waistband of the shapewear bottoms. Illustrative examples of these modifications are shown in FIGS. 14-22 and described below.

FIGS. 14-15 show an illustrative example of the backless support bra 600 similar to the bra shown in FIGS. 22-35 of the '720 publication with an abdominal shaping insert 650. As shown in FIGS. 14-15, the bra 600 includes left and right cups 612 a, 612 b upper straps 620 a, 620 b extending around a respective shoulder of the wearer (or a single upper strap in a halter or asymmetrical version), and a pair of lower straps 640 a, 640 b. In this illustrative embodiment, the two cups 612 a, 612 b are unconnected with one another, but in other embodiments, they may be connected to one another and the shape of the cups may be different from the shape shown in FIGS. 14-15. Each lower strap 640 a, 640 b includes two ends, with a first end being attached to one cup's lower edge and a second end being attached to another cup's lower edge. When the bra 600 is worn, the left lower strap 640 a extends from the left cup 612 a downward to the wearer's pelvic region and through the pelvic region to the wearer's buttocks area, then the left lower strap 640a extends upward across the wearer's buttocks and around the wearer's waist area towards the wearer's front, and then extends upward and around the left side of the wearer's waist to the front to be connected with the right cup 612 b. The right lower strap 640 b has a similar construction on the other side of the wearer's body.

As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the abdominal shaping insert 650 comprises a length of elastic and/or stretchable material that extends between the left and right lower straps 640 a, 640 b and tapers downwardly from its upper edge 652 to its lower edge 654. In the illustrative embodiment of FIGS. 14-15, the upper edge 652 is located at a distance below the cups 612 a, 612 b and when the bra 600 is worn, the upper edge 652 is at around an upper abdominal area, just below the ribcage of the wearer. The lower edge 654 in the present illustrative embodiment is located in the pelvic area of the wearer when worn, or in the area where the two lower straps 640 a, 640 b meet. However, in other variations, the upper edge 652 may extend higher than shown in FIGS. 14-15, e.g., to just below the cups or up to the cups, or may be lower than is shown in FIGS. 14-15, e.g., mid-rise at around the wearer's natural waist or low rise below the wearer's natural waist. In some variations, the upper edge 652 may detachably connect to the bra cups, such as by using hooks or other fasteners adjacent to the upper edge 652 of the abdominal shaping insert 650 and tabs along the lower edge of the bra cups 612 a, 612 b. In such variations, the connections between the tabs on the backless bra and corresponding fasteners, e.g., hooks, on the upper edge 652 may be moved or adjusted in order to customize the fit and amount of shaping provided.

The configuration of the abdominal shaping insert 650 in this embodiment is similar to or substantially the same as the configuration of the abdominal shaping insert 150 in FIGS. 1-2 of the first embodiment, and thus, detailed description thereof is omitted. In addition, the materials used for the abdominal insert 650 are similar or substantially the same as those used for the abdominal shaping insert 150 in FIGS. 1-2 of the first embodiment. Similar to the first embodiment, the abdominal shaping insert 650 in FIGS. 14-15 may be formed from a single panel of material or may be formed from a plurality of panels, e.g., substantially parallel straps or panels or crisscrossing straps or panels. As also shown in FIGS. 14-15, the bra 600 may include side straps or panels 655 a, 655 b, similar to or substantially the same as the straps or panels 155 a, 155 b of the first embodiment in FIGS. 1-2.

FIGS. 16-18 show another embodiment of the backless support bra 700, which includes left and right bra cups 712 a, 712 b, upper straps 720 a, 720 b (or a single strap for a halter version), lower straps 740 a, 740 b and shaping inserts 750, 752 a, 752 b and 754. The configurations of the cups 712 a, 712 b, the upper straps 720 a, 720 b and the lower straps 740 a, 740 b of the bra 700 are substantially the same as in the embodiment of FIGS. 14-15 and thus, a detailed description thereof is omitted.

The shaping inserts in the backless support bra 700 include an abdominal shaping insert 750, side shaping inserts 752 a, 752 b, and a rear shaping insert 754. The abdominal shaping insert 750 has a similar configuration to the abdominal shaping insert 650 in FIGS. 14-15 and is similar to the abdominal shaping insert 350 of FIG. 6 described above. Therefore, a detailed description thereof is omitted.

The side shaping inserts 752 a, 752 b in FIGS. 16-18 are configured to extend between a front portion of one lower strap and a rear and side portions of another lower strap so as to provide shaping to the wearer's hip and buttock areas. As shown in FIGS. 16-17, each side shaping insert 752 a, 752 b comprises a length of elastic and/or stretchable material that extends between a front portion of a respective lower strap 740 a, 740 b and rear and side portions of the other lower strap 740 b, 740 a so as to cover the wearer's side, hip and at least a portion of the buttocks when worn. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 16-18, a top of each side shaping insert 752 a, 752 b extends to an intersection between the two lower straps 740 a, 740 b in the front of the bra 700 and along the side and rear portions of the other lower strap 740 b, 740 a. However, in other embodiments, the top edges of side shaping inserts 752 a, 752 b may extend higher, so that additional shaping is provided to the wearer's sides, or may extend lower.

In the illustrative embodiment shown in FIGS. 16-18, a lower edge of each side shaping insert 752 a, 752 b is cut so as to cover the wearer's hip and at least a portion of the buttocks in order to provide sculpting or shaping thereto. In other embodiments, the lower edge of the side shaping inserts 752 a, 752 b may be higher, e.g., a brief-style or hipster-style cut, or may be lower, extending into a cylindrical leg portion with a leg opening to extend around a wearer's thigh. In certain embodiments, the side shaping inserts 752 a, 752 b provide lifting to the wearer's buttocks, which may be accomplished by using additional layers of elastic and/or stretchable material or by providing differing degrees of elasticity and compression in different areas of the side shaping insert 752 a, 752 b.

As shown in FIG. 18, the rear shaping insert 754 is provided between the rear portions of the two lower straps 740 a, 740 b. The configuration of the rear shaping insert 754 is similar or substantially the same as the configuration of the rear shaping insert 354 in FIG. 7, and thus, detailed description thereof is omitted. As shown in FIG. 18, an upper edge of the rear shaping insert 754 has a concave shape to provide the most unencumbered exposure to the wearer's back. However, in other embodiments, the upper edge of the rear shaping insert 754 may be lower or higher, and in yet other embodiments, the rear shaping insert 754 may further include an invisible or nearly invisible insert in the concavity thereof, similar to the insert 555 in FIG. 13B described above, in order to provide additional shaping without substantial exposure of the foundation garment. In yet other embodiments, the rear shaping insert 754 may be omitted completely, which would allow for the bra 700 to be worn with even more revealing garments.

The materials used for the abdominal shaping insert 750, the side shaping inserts 752 a, 752 b and the rear shaping insert 754 are similar or substantially the same as the materials used in the above-described embodiments. In addition, as in other embodiments described above, some or all of the shaping inserts 750, 752 a, 752 b, 754 may each be formed from a single panel or from a plurality of panels, e.g., substantially parallel panels or straps or crisscrossing panels or straps. Moreover, in some embodiments, one or more of the shaping inserts 750, 752 a, 752 b, 754 may include one or more slits and corresponding fasteners, as described herein above with respect to the third and fourth embodiments.

FIGS. 19-21 show another embodiment of the backless support bra 800 which includes side shaping insert 850 for providing shaping to a wearer's sides and in some embodiments, also to the wearer's back. The bra 800 includes left and right cups 812 a, 812 b and upper and lower straps 820 a, 820 b, 820 a, 840 b, which have the same or similar configurations as described above with respect to FIGS. 14-15.

As shown in FIGS. 19-21, the side shaping insert 850 comprises a length of material that extends between the front portion of the left lower strap 840 a and the front portion of the right lower strap 840 b so as to cover the sides of the wearer's torso. In the illustrative embodiments of FIGS. 19-21, the side shaping insert 850 has its upper edges extending along the lower edge of the left cup 812 a and a portion of the upper strap 820 a and its lower edge extending along a side portion of the right lower strap 840 b on the left side of the wearer. Similarly, on the right side of the wearer, the side shaping insert 850 has its upper edges extending along the lower edge of the right cup 812 b and a portion of the upper strap 820 b and its lower edge extending along a side portion of the left lower strap 840 a. In some embodiments, the side shaping insert 850 is permanently or detachably connected to the cups 812 a, 812 b, such as by using hooks or other fasteners on the side shaping insert 850 and tabs on the cups 812 a, 812 b, and/or to the side portions of the lower straps 840 a, 840 b, while in other embodiments, the side shaping insert 850 is unconnected to these components of the bra. In the embodiments using tabs on the cups 812 a, 812 b, the connections between the tabs on the cups and corresponding fasteners, e.g., hooks, on the side shaping inserts 850 may be moved or adjusted in order to customize the fit and amount of shaping provided.

As shown in FIG. 21, the side shaping insert 850 extends around the lower back of the wearer and is connected to the rear portions of the lower straps 840 a, 840 b. In the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 21, the top edge of the side shaping insert 850 is concave in the back of the wearer so as to expose the wearer's back. However, it is contemplated that the top edge of the side shaping insert 850 may be positioned lower than the respective cups 812 a, 812 b and the upper straps 820 a, 820 b, and that the lower edges of the side shaping insert 850 may be higher than the side portion of the lower strap portions 840 a, 840 b or may extend lower than the lower strap portion 840 a, 840 b. It is also contemplated that the top edge of the side shaping insert 850 in the back of the wearer may be higher or lower than shown in FIG. 21. In addition, in some embodiments, the side shaping insert 850 may instead be formed as two separate side shaping inserts and that these side shaping inserts may or may not extend all the way around a wearer's back.

The materials used for the side shaping insert 850 are the same or substantially similar to those described above with respect to the other embodiments. In addition, the side shaping insert 850 may be formed from a single panel of material or from multiple panels or straps, which may be substantially parallel to one another or crisscrossing with one another.

FIG. 22 shows a modified backless support bra 900 used in combination with shapewear 950, wherein the shapewear 950 has the same or similar configuration as the shapewear 550 described above with respect to FIGS. 11-13B. The side and back views of the shapewear 950 are the same or substantially similar to those shown in FIGS. 12-13B. Therefore, detailed descriptions of the shapewear 950 configuration, materials and modifications are omitted.

As shown in FIG. 22, the bra 900 includes left and right cups 912 a, 912 b and upper straps 920 a, 920 b, which have the same or similar configuration to those in FIGS. 14-21. In addition, the bra 900 includes lower straps 940 a-d, wherein left and right first lower straps 940 a, 940 c extend downwardly toward a waistband of the shapewear 950 and connect to the shapewear 950, and left and right second lower straps 940 b, 940 d cross over each other, extend toward the waistband of the shapewear 950 at an angle and connect to the shapewear 950. The connections between the lower straps 940 a-d and the shapewear 950 may formed by using fasteners, such as hook and loop fasteners, hook and eye fasteners, clips, pins, etc. The lower straps 940 a-d may be connected to the bra 900 permanently, e.g., by sewing, or detachably, such as by using hooks or other fasteners on the lower straps 940 a-d to connect with tabs on the bra cups 912 a, 912 b. Similarly, the lower straps 940 a-d may be connected to the shapewear 950 at the other ends thereof by using hooks or other fasteners on the lower straps 940 a-d to connect with tabs on the shapewear 950, similar to the tabs on the bra cups. In some embodiments, either the first lower straps 940 a, 940 c or the second lower straps 940 b, 940 d may be omitted. In other embodiments, all of the lower straps may be omitted, and the shapewear may be directly connected to the bra cups 912 a, 912 b, either permanently or detachably, e.g., by using hooks or other fasteners on the shapewear and tabs on the bra cups, or may be connected to the bra cups 912 a, 912 busing a length of material. In the embodiments that use the tabs on the bra cups 912 a, 912 b, the connections between the tabs on the cups and corresponding fasteners, e.g., hooks, on the straps or on the shapewear may be moved or adjusted in order to customize the fit and amount of shaping provided.

FIGS. 23A-23B show an exemplary backless bra 1000 and accompanying straps, as disclosed in U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/161,437, incorporated herein by reference, and which may be used with the shapewear in the above-described embodiments or with further embodiments of shapewear described below. The exemplary backless bra 1000 of FIG. 23A includes a front main panel 1010 with a pair of bra cups 1012 a, 1012 b and a plurality of tabs 1013 provided on the bra cups 1012 a, 1012 b. In the illustrative embodiment shown in FIG. 23A, the tabs 1013 are provided on an inner surface of each bra cup 1012 a, 1012 b that is configured to abut a wearer's body, and the tabs 1013 extend along a lower edge or underside of each bra cup 1012 a, 1012 b and along at least a portion of an upper edge of each bra cup 1012 a, 1012 b. In some embodiments, the tabs are formed as rigid tape loops having a substantially rectangular configuration. In other embodiments, the tabs may be formed from other materials having sufficient strength and may have a different shape, such as for example a triangular shape in order to allow for pivoting of fasteners in different directions or angled quadrangular shape in order to allow for particular orientation of straps connected thereto. The cups of the bra shown in FIG. 23A are not limited to the cup shape formed, and may be modified to achieve other styles, such as plunge, full-cup, demi-cup, push-up, balconette, shelf, etc. The number of tabs provided on each cup is not limited to the number shown, and the positioning of the tabs is not limited to the positions shown. However, the general positioning of the tabs along the lower and upper ends of the bra cups shown in FIG. 23A allow for a variety of attachments to the straps and to the shapewear so as to allow for multiple transformable configurations and customization of the bra and of the shaping provided by the shapewear.

FIG. 23B shows the backless bra 1000 of FIG. 23A used together with a plurality of straps 1040 and a set of straps 1040 unconnected to the bra cups 1012 a, 1012 b. In an illustrative set of straps of FIG. 23B, the straps 1040 include a set of shoulder straps, each of which can connect to the tabs positioned along the upper edge of a respective bra cup 1012 a, 1012 b, a set of halter straps, each of which may be used to connect one end to one bra cup 1012 a and another end to another bra cup 1012 b to extend around a wearer's neck or to have both ends connect to the same bra cup 1012 a, 1012 b and to extend across a wearer's chest for an asymmetrical appearance, and a set of body straps connected by a panty panel. The particular straps used with the backless bra 1000 may be modified, such as to be similar to the straps shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 1-22 described above.

FIGS. 24A-D show an embodiment of shapewear assembly that includes shapewear 1150 configured to be used together with a backless bra 1100, similar to or substantially the same as the backless bra 1000 shown in FIG. 23A. Specifically, FIG. 24A shows a front view of the shapewear 1150 used with the backless bra 1100, FIG. 24B shows a rear view of the shapewear 1150 used with the backless bra 1100, and FIGS. 24C-D show the front view of the shapewear 1150 unconnected with any bra.

The bra 1100 in FIGS. 24A-B includes a front main panel 1110 forming a first left-side cup 1112 a and a second right-side cup 1112 b. As can be visible in FIG. 24B, which shows a rear view of the shapewear assembly, the front main panel includes a plurality of tabs 1113 extending along a lower edge or underside of the front main panel and along at least a portion of an upper edge of the front main panel. Although the shapewear 1150 is shown as being used with the backless bra 1100 of FIG. 23 in order to provide an unobstructed view of a wearer's back, it is contemplated that the shapewear 1150 may also be used with any bra or garment, with or without tabs, so long as the shapewear can be attached thereto using suitable fasteners.

As shown in FIGS. 24A-D, the shapewear 1150 comprises a lower portion 1152, which in the illustrative embodiment forms a panty portion of the shapewear, and an upper front portion 1154 extending directly from a front region of the lower portion 1152. The lower portion 1152 in the illustrative embodiment of FIGS. 24A-D is shown as having a high cut bikini style. However, in other embodiments, the lower portion 1152 may be formed as a thong style to provide less shaping in the buttocks area and to avoid appearance of panty lines, or may be lower cut, such as a brief or a bikini style to provide some shaping and support to the hips and buttocks, a boy short style for additional shaping and support and avoidance of panty lines or a shorts style for yet further shaping and support to the hips and thigh areas. In the illustrative embodiment shown, the lower portion 1152 is formed as an integral or connected portion. However, in other embodiments, the lower portion 1152 may have separated front and back sides which connect with one another in the pelvic area such as by using a zipper or snaps or other suitable fasteners, or may include one or more slits that can be closed using a fastener such as a zipper, snaps, etc. In yet other embodiments, the lower portion 1152 may be formed as a slip instead of a panty, wherein the lower portion 1152 extends for a predetermined length around a wearer's hips and buttocks and in some embodiments, extends further down around the wearer's thighs.

The upper front portion 1154 includes two panels of material 1154 a, 1154 b. with a first panel 1154 a extending from a right front region of the lower portion 1152 and a second panel 1154 b extending from a left front region of the lower portion 1152. As can be seen in FIGS. 24A-24B, when the shapewear 1150 is worn by a wearer, the first panel 1154 a overlaps with and crisscrosses with the second panel 1154 b so that a top end of the first panel 1154 a is configured to connect to the first cup 1112 a of the main front panel 1110 and a top end of the second panel 1154 b is configured to connect to the second cup 1112 b of the main front panel 1110. In FIGS. 24A-24B, the first panel 1154 a is shown as overlaying on top of the second panel 1154 b, but it is understood that the first and second panels 1154 a-b maybe crisscrossed so that the second panel 1154 b overlays the first panel 1154 a. The crossing over of the first and second panels 1154 a, 1154 b provides additional shaping and contouring to the front of a wearer's torso, in particular, in the abdominal area, as well as shaping in the hip areas of the wearer.

FIGS. 24C-24D show a front view the shapewear 1150 unattached to any bra or other garment. As shown in FIGS. 24C-24D and discussed above, the shapewear 1150 has the lower portion 1152 forming a panty and the upper portion 1154 with two panels 1154 a, 1154 b extending directly from the front of the lower portion 1152. In the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 24C, the first and second panels 1154 a, 1154 b extend upwardly from the lower portion 1152 of the shapewear 1150 and taper toward the top edges of the panels 1154 a, 1154 b. The first and second panels 1154 a, 1154 b in FIG. 24C may be moved toward each other and crisscrossed when worn. The embodiment of FIG. 24C also allows the wearer to wear the shapewear 1150 without crisscrossing the two panels 1154 a, 1154 b. if desired, thus providing customizable shaping.

In the embodiment of FIG. 24D, each of the first and second panels 1154 a, 1154 b is formed so as to extend from the lower portion 1152 upwardly at an angle in a direction across a front torso area of a wearer. Specifically, the first panel 1154 a extends from the left front region of the lower portion 1152 upwardly and to the right, while the second panel 1154 b extends from the right front region of the lower portion 1152 upwardly and to the left. In the configuration of FIG. 24D, the first and second panels 1154 a, 1154 b are formed so as to cross over one another, which provides a smoother and flatter area between the two panels 1154 a, 1154 b and helps prevent formation of loose fabric in a lower base area of the two panels 1154 a, 1154 b, particularly in the area between the two panels 1154 a, 1154 b. In some embodiments, the first and second panels 1154 a, 1154 b may be secured to one another in the area of overlap between the panels 1154 a, 1154 b. either permanently such as by sewing, or detachably, such as by using fasteners, e.g., hook and loop, hook and eye, zipper, etc., on each of the panels 1154 a, 1154 b.

In the configurations of FIGS. 24C-24D, the panels 1154 a, 1154 b may be integrally formed with the panty portion 1152 from a single piece of material, or one or more of the panels 1154 a, 1154 b may be separately formed from the panty portion 1152 and may be attached to the panty portion 1152, such as by sewing. The lower and upper portions 1152, 1154 may be formed from elastic and/or stretchable material, such as nylon, spandex, Lycra, cotton, polyester, viscose, bamboo, microfiber, silk and other fabric fibers, or fabrics with mixtures of these fibers, power mesh materials, lace, organza materials, TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethane) material, vinyl, fiberglass cloth, and other polymer materials. In some embodiments the lower and upper portions 1152, 1154 of the shapewear 1150 are formed from the same material, while in other embodiments they may be formed from different materials. Moreover, the lower and upper portions 1152, 1154 may include areas of varying elasticity, thickness and/or compression in order to provide more shaping and compression in some areas and less shaping and compression in other areas. Furthermore, the lower and/or upper portions 1152, 1154 may be lined or formed from multiple layers of material.

As shown in FIGS. 24C-24D, upper ends of the first and second panels 1154 a, 1154 b include one or more fasteners configured to engage with corresponding fasteners on the bra 1100 shown in FIGS. 24A-24B or on any other suitable bra or garment. In this illustrative embodiment, each upper end of the first and second panels 1154 a, 1154 b includes a plurality of hook fasteners configured to engage with the loops or tabs on the bra 1100. Examples of suitable hook fasteners that may be used with the loops or tabs on the bra 1100 are shown in FIG. 25. As shown in FIG. 25, the hooks may be decorative or include decorative elements thereon so as to embellish the bra and/or shapewear. In other variations, other types of fasteners, such as hook and loop fasteners, zippers, snaps, buttons, sliders, clasps, etc., may be used for connecting the first and second panels 1154 a, 1154 b to the bra or to another garment.

Although FIGS. 24C-24D show a single row of fasteners provided at or adjacent to the upper end of the panels 1154 a, 1154 b. in certain embodiments, additional one or more fasteners may be provided at other positions on the panels 1154 a, 1154 b further away from the upper ends in order to allow for a more customizable fit. For example, in some embodiments multiple rows of fasteners may be included on each of the panels 1154 a, 1154 b to allow wearers with shorter and longer torsos to customize the fit of the shapewear 1150 and the amount of shaping provided by the shapewear 1150. In such embodiments, a row of fasteners adjacent to the upper edge of the panels 1154 a, 1154 b may be used in order to provide less shaping to the frontal torso area of the wearer and/or in order to provide a better fit for wearers with longer torsos, while a row of fasteners further away from the upper edge of the panels 1154 a, 1154 b may be used in order to provide more shaping to the frontal torso area of the wearer by making the panels 1154 a, 1154 b more taut when worn and/or to provide a better fit for wearers with shorter torsos.

The attachment between the bra 1100 and the upper panels 1154 a, 1154 b of the shapewear 1150 is illustrated in FIG. 24B. As shown, the hook fasteners 1155 on the upper panels 1154 a, 1154 b are engaged with tabs or loops 1113 provided along the lower end of the first and second bra cups 1112 a, 1112 b. Although each upper panel 1154 a, 1154 b includes four hook fasteners 1155 in the embodiment of FIGS. 24A-D, the number of fasteners may be varied in order to provide suitable attachment, particularly if the width of the upper ends of the first and second panels 1154 a, 1154 b varies. In addition, in the exemplary attachment shown in FIG. 24B, the hook fasteners 1155 of the panels 1154 a, 1154 b are engaged with a set of tabs on the bra cups 1112 a, 1112 b that are positioned about centrally along the lower end of each bra cup 1112 a, 1112 b. These attachment positions may be modified in order to provide customized shaping to the wearer's torso. For example, the hook fasteners 1155 on the upper panels 1154 a, 1154 b may be attached to other tabs 1113 on the respective bra cups 1112 a, 1112 b so that the upper ends of the panels 1154 a, 1154 b are further apart from one another or closer together.

The embodiments of the shapewear 1150 of FIGS. 24A-D are configured to provide shaping and contouring to the front torso areas of the wearer, including pelvic and abdominal areas, and may be configured to also provide shaping and contouring to the hips, buttocks and thighs of the wearer, depending on the configuration of the lower portion 1152 of the shapewear 1150. In other embodiments, the shapewear 1150 may be modified so as to provide additional shaping and contouring to the hips and torso obliques of the wearer by modifying the upper panels 1154 a, 1154 b so that they extend further back toward the rear of the lower portion 1152 and around the wearer's oblique abdominal regions. For example, the upper panel 1154 a may extend from a right rear region of the lower portion 1152 around a right hip and right side of the wearer's torso to the front and up and across toward the left bra cup 1112a. Similarly, the upper panel 1154 b would extend from a left rear region of the lower portion 1152 around a left hip and left side of the wearer's torso to the front and up and across toward the right bra cup 1112 b. In some embodiments, additional panels may be provided for further shaping and contouring of the wearer's sides, such as additional panels extending from the lower portion 1152 or from the upper portion 1154 along the sides or obliques of the wearer's torso and connecting to other tabs on the bra 1100 or other garment.

The above-described embodiments of the bra 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100 and of the shapewear 950, 1150 are illustrative and may be modified for use with other bra configurations or with other similar garments. As mentioned above, shapewear inserts from any of the above-described embodiments may be adapted to be used with other bra configurations, including but not limited to other bras described and shown in U.S. Pat. No. 11,019,853, incorporated herein by reference, with bras shown or described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/161,437 and corresponding non-provisional application, or with any other undergarments. When the above-described embodiments are used with the bra that includes tabs or loops, similar to the backless bra of FIGS. 23A-23B or the backless bra shown and described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/161,437 and its corresponding non-provisional application, the connections between the tabs or loops on the bra and the corresponding fasteners on the straps with shapewear inserts or the corresponding fasteners on the shapewear or shapewear inserts may be moved or adjusted in order to customize the amount of shaping as well as the fit of the bra and the shapewear. Moreover, in some embodiments, some or all of the shapewear inserts shown in FIGS. 1-22 may be removable from the straps and may be detachably attached to the straps using suitable fasteners, such as zippers, hook and eye fasteners, hook and loop fasteners, hook and tab fasteners, and others.

Although the above embodiments show the bras 100-1100 as having one or more upper straps, it is also contemplated that the upper straps may be omitted altogether. Furthermore, the bras 100-1100 are shown as having plain, generally unadorned straps. It is also contemplated that one or more of the straps used with the bra may be made more decorative, may include embellishments, jewelry and/or attachments, and may use various materials to enhance the decorative appearance of the straps. The straps, particularly the upper straps, may also be made from a low-slip material that does not slide along a wearer's skin when worn in order to provide a better fit to the bra and better support for the wearer.

Furthermore, the shape, material, construction and/or design of the front main panel and/or of the bra cups may be different than shown in the figures above. The drawings, for convenience and to not obscure the disclosure, show a rather basic front main panel and/or cups. This is for illustrative purposes. Any and all of the embodiments herein may employ other variations of a front main panel portion with cups or other variations of bra cups. For instance, there are countless cup shapes, designs and/or constructions, and all, nearly all, or at least many of such versions, may be employed within many, if not all, of the herein described backless support bra with shapewear features of the present invention. Moreover, the cups of the bras may include embellishments, jewelry or be configured to attach and detach decorative overlays in order to change the appearance of the bra. Furthermore, the positions and number of the tabs provided on the bra cups of the bras 1000, 1100 are not limited to those shown and may be varied in order to allow for additional customization or for better placement of the straps.

In some embodiments, the backless bras 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100 such as the bras shown in FIGS. 1-24B, may be included in a kit, including the main front panel of the bra, one or more upper straps attachable to the main front panel using suitable fasteners, e.g., tabs or loops and hooks, a first set of lower straps without shaping inserts so as to allow the bra to be worn without providing shaping, and one or more of a second set of lower straps with shaping inserts as shown in FIGS. 1-22 and shapewear 950, 1150 as shown in FIGS. 22 and 24A-D attachable to the main front panel using suitable fasteners so as to allow the bra to be worn with shaping features. The kit may further include decorative elements, such as decorative upper or lower straps that may be used instead of or in addition to the other straps in the kit and/or decorative overlays for the main front panel of the bra.

Even though the above-described embodiments are directed to foundation garments worn under clothing, in some embodiments, the bras and the shapewear may be adapted for use in clothing, including bodysuits, swimwear, tops, pants, dresses and skirts. For example, shapewear described above may be used with garments that are typically worn on top of undergarments or without undergarments, such as bodysuits, tops, dresses and skirts. In other examples, the bras and shapewear described above may be used as swimwear or modified for use in swimwear so as to provide shaping to select areas of a wearer's body. Furthermore, bras and shapewear described above may be modified to be used in athletic clothing so as to provide compression in select areas and to customize compression provided to a wearer's body. In yet other examples, the bra itself may be configured for external wear so as to be visible when worn and may be customizable with decorative elements or certain shaping elements for providing shaping and/or compression to select areas of a wearer's body.

In accordance with the invention, the backless support bra comprises first and second cups configured to support respective breasts of a wearer when worn by the wearer, at least one upper strap extending from the first and second cups for upwardly supporting the first and second cups, first and second lower straps, each of which is configured to extend through a pelvic region of the wearer and around one leg of the wearer, and at least one shaping insert configured to contour a predetermined area of a wearer's body, wherein the at least one shaping insert is one or more of (a) extends between the first and second lower straps, (b) extends between different portions of the first lower strap, and (c) extends between different portions of the second lower strap. The first and second cups may or may not be directly attached to one another. The at least one shaping insert is configured so as to allow for an unobstructed view of the wearer's back. The at least one shaping insert is either substantially invisible or transparent. In some embodiments, the at least one shaping insert includes a first shaping insert comprising either a single panel of material or a plurality of panels of material.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an backless support assembly comprises: a backless support bra including first and second cups, each of which is configured to support a respective breast of a wearer when worn, at least one upper strap for upwardly supporting the first and second cups, and a plurality of second lower straps extending from the first and second cups for downwardly supporting the first and second cups; and a shaping garment configured to provide contouring to predetermined portions of a wearer's body, wherein the plurality of lower straps are configured to detachably couple with the shaping garment. The shaping garment is configured to allow for an unobstructed view of a wearer's back. At least a portion of the shaping garment is substantially invisible or transparent.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a shaping garment comprises elastic and/or stretchable material and includes at least a waist shaping portion configured to provide contouring to a wearer's waist when worn by the wearer and a lower shaping portion configured to provide contouring to at least one of the wearer's hips and buttocks, said shaping garment including one or more slits extending through at least the waist shaping portion in a direction of the lower shaping portion and one or more fasteners for fastening the one or more slits. The one or more fasteners comprise one or more zippers and the zippers are substantially invisible or transparent.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a shaping garment comprises elastic and/or stretchable material and includes an upper shaping portion configured to provide contouring to at least one of a wearer's waist, hips and buttocks, and a lower shaping portion including first and second leg portions centrally connected by a crotch portion therebetween, said lower shaping portion being configured to provide contouring for at least one of wearer's hips and thighs, wherein the lower shaping portion includes a slit opening formed in the crotch portion extending between the first and second leg portion and a fastener configured for opening and closing the slit opening. The slit opening further extends along an inner thigh area of at least pone of the first and second leg portions.

Use of the phrases and/or terms such as but not limited to “a first embodiment,” “a second embodiment” “another embodiment,” “some embodiments,” “certain embodiemnt,” “illustrative enmbodiment,” “other embodiment,” “some variations,” “another variation,” “other variation,” variants thereof do NOT necessarily refer to the same embodiments. For example, language such as “some embodiments include a feature” followed by “some embodiments include an element” does NOT necessarily admit that both of the feature and the element are included in all of the same embodiments.

In all cases, it is understood that the above-described arrangements are merely illustrative of the many possible specific embodiments which represent applications of the present invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements, including different variations of the backless bra and use of different materials for the shaping inserts and/or shapewear, can be readily devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A shapewear garment comprising: a lower portion configured to provide compression to selected regions of a wearer's lower torso; and an upper portion extending from the lower portion and configured to provide compression to at least a portion of an abdominal area of the wearer's torso, wherein the upper portion includes a first panel extending from a right region of the lower portion and a second panel extending from a left region of the lower portion, and wherein the first panel and the second panel extend transverse to one another so as to partially overlap with one another when the shapewear garment is worn.
 2. The shapewear garment of claim 1, wherein the first panel and the second panel are at least partially separated from one another.
 3. The shapewear garment of claim 1, wherein the first panel and the second panel are configured to attach to a bra.
 4. The shapewear garment of claim 3, wherein the bra includes a right cup and a left cup and wherein the first panel of the upper portion is configured to extend from the right region of the lower portion and to attach to the left cup and the second panel of the upper portion is configured to extend from the left region of the lower portion and to attach to the right cup.
 5. The shapewear garment of claim 3, wherein each of the first panel and the second panel includes at least one fastener configured to attach to a corresponding fastening portion on the bra.
 6. The shapewear garment of claim 5, wherein each of the first and second panels includes a plurality of rows of one or more fasteners, each row being positioned at a different distance from a free upper end of the respective first and second panel.
 7. The shapewear garment of claim 1, wherein the first panel extends from a front right region of the lower portion and the second panel extends from a front left region of the lower portion.
 8. The shapewear garment of claim 1, wherein the first panel extends from a rear right region of the lower portion and is configured to provide shaping and compression to a right side of a wearer's torso when the shapewear garment is worn, and the second panel extends from a rear left region of the lower portion and is configured to provide shaping and compression to a left side of the wearer's torso.
 9. The shapewear garment of claim 1, wherein the lower portion forms one of a panty portion and a slip portion extending around a wearer's hips when the shapewear garment is worn.
 10. The shapewear garment of claim 1, wherein the lower portion and the upper portion are configured so that when the shapewear garment is worn, the shapewear garment does not obstruct a wearer's back while providing shaping and compression to at least a wearer's hips and abdominal area.
 11. A shapewear assembly comprising: a shapewear garment of claim 1; and a bra including front main panel forming a right cup and a left cup and having one or more first fastening portions provided on each of the right cup and the left cup, wherein each of the first and second panels include one or more second fastening portions configured to engage with the first fastening portions on the right and left cups, and wherein the first panel of the shapewear is configured to attach to the first fastening portions provided on the left cup using the second fastening portions on the first panel, and the second panel of the shapewear is configured to attach to the second fastening portions provided on the right cup using the second fastening portions on the second panel.
 12. The shapewear assembly of claim 11, wherein the first fastening portions are loops and each of the right and left cups includes a plurality of loops along at least a portion of its underside and the second fastening portions are hooks configured to engage with the loops.
 13. The shapewear assembly of claim 11, wherein the bra is a backless bra and provides an unobstructed view of a wearer's back.
 14. A backless support bra with shaping features comprising: first and second cups configured to support a wearer's breasts; first and second lower straps configured to connect to the respective first and second cups, each of the first and second lower straps being configured to extend through a pelvic region of the wearer and around a respective leg of the wearer; and at least one shaping insert configured to provide shaping to a predetermined area of a wearer's body, wherein the at least one shaping insert is one or more of: (a) extends between the first and second lower straps, (b) extends between different portions of the first lower strap, and (c) extends between different portions of the second lower strap.
 15. The backless support bra of claim 14, wherein the first and second cups, the first and second lower straps and the at least one shaping insert are configured to allow for an unobstructed view of a wearer's back when the backless support bra is worn.
 16. The backless support bra of claim 14, wherein the first and second lower straps are detachable from the respective first and second bra cups.
 17. The backless support bra of claim 14, wherein the at least one shaping insert includes an abdominal shaping insert extending between the first and second lower straps from the pelvic region of a wearer to a predetermined distance from first ends of the first and second lower straps, and wherein the abdominal shaping insert is configured to provide shaping to a wearer's abdominal area.
 18. The backless support bra of claim 17, wherein the abdominal shaping insert comprises one or more of (a) a single panel of elastic material, (b) a plurality of parallel straps, (c) a plurality of crisscrossing straps, (d) a plurality of parallel panels of elastic material, and (e) a plurality of crisscrossing panels of elastic material.
 19. The backless support bra of claim 14, wherein the at least one shaping insert includes a first side shaping insert extending between portions of the first lower strap and configured to provide shaping to a first side area of a wearer's torso and a second side shaping insert extending between portions of the second lower strap and configured to provide shaping to a second side area of a wearer's torso.
 20. The backless support bra of claim 19, wherein the first side shaping insert extends between first and second ends of the first lower strap for a predetermined length and the second side shaping insert extends between first and second ends of the second lower strap for the predetermined length.
 21. The backless support bra of claim 19, wherein each of the first and second side shaping inserts extend between portions of the respective first and second lower straps so as to provide shaping to a wearer's hips and at least a portion of a wearer's buttocks.
 22. The backless support bra of claim 19, wherein the at least one shaping insert further includes one or more of (a) an abdominal shaping insert extending between the first and second lower straps from the pelvic region of a wearer to a predetermined distance from first ends of the first and second lower straps, and (b) a rear shaping insert extending between the first and second lower straps in a region adjacent to the wearer's buttocks when the backless support bra is worn by the wearer.
 23. A backless support assembly comprising: a backless support bra including: first and second cups configured to support a wearer's breasts; at least one upper strap for upwardly supporting the first and second cups; and a plurality of lower straps extending from the first and second cups for downwardly supporting the first and second cups; and a shaping garment configured to provide contouring to predetermined portions of a wearer's body, wherein the plurality of lower straps are configured to detachably couple with the shaping garment.
 24. The backless support assembly of claim 23, wherein the shaping garment is configured to allow for an unobstructed view of a wearer's back.
 25. The backless support assembly of claim 23, wherein at least a portion of the shaping garment is formed from one or more of invisible material and transparent material. 